Nagging doubts: ebay, Nokia and Pfizer

[notiCIas]

Nagging doubts

Stock futures lower as eBay, Nokia and Pfizer become latest to caution on future results.

October 20, 2005: 7:46 AM EDT

NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - Stocks showed signs of weakness Thursday after a caution on upcoming results from companies reporting strong third quarters raised more concerns about furture earnings strength.

U.S. stock futures were down in early trading, indicating a lower opening for stocks, after eBay (Research) reported a large jump in earnings late Wednesday that met forecasts, but gave fourth-quarter earnings and sales guidance that missed forecasts.

Shares of the online auctioneer lost more than 5 percent in after-hours trading.

Futures fell further after Nokia (Research), the world's largest maker of cell phones, also met earnings forecasts but warned of falling prices for its products in the fourth quarter. Drug maker Pfizer (Research), a component of the Dow Jones industrial average, also cut its earnings forecast while reporting better-than-expected third quarter results. Shares of Pfizer fell in pre-market trading on Inet.

Art Hogan, chief market analyst at Jefferies & Co., said it makes sense for investors to be focused on any weakness in the fourth quarter guidance from a variety of companies this week, rather than strong third-quarter earnings reports.

"It's the first time we're seeing earnings growth deceleration in 13 quarters," he said. "The fourth quarter is when we'll see the impact of rising interest rates, higher energy prices. I would say eBay is the biggest piece of the problem this morning. It's a household name and it's adding to the sentiment we're not going to have the best of fourth quarters."

Dow component Coca-Cola (Research) bucked the trend of earnings worries by beating forecasts and giving a generally upbeat outlook on sales, without specific guidance. Shares of Coke rose in pre-market trading on Inet following the report.

Another Dow component, telecom SBC (Research), reported earnings excluding special items that beat forecasts. Earnings are also expected later Thursday morning from Dow component McDonald's (Research), , as well as United Parcel Service (Research) and many of the nation's major airlines. Google (Research) reports after the market close.

Ford Motor (Research) reported a loss in line with the forecast from analysts surveyed by earnings tracker First Call. But it did not give any details of restructuring plans as part of the report, as some investors had hoped.

Oil prices were lower following Wednesday's sell-off following the report that showed larger than expected U.S. fuel inventories.

The November light crude futures contract for NYMEX lost 61 cents to $61.80 a barrel in electronic trading, while the December contract for Brent crude dropped 11 cents to $58.49.

Major markets in Asia closed higher Thursday. Major European markets were higher in early trading.

Treasury prices were lower, lifting the yield on the 10-year note to 4.49 percent from the 4.46 percent level late Wednesday. The dollar gained ground against on the euro and the yen.